House Energy Action Team (HEAT) Chairman U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) held a roundtable discussion Thursday, January 23, on Capitol Hill with nearly two-dozen representatives from America’s energy sector, focusing on legislative goals for 2025 and how Congress can work with the private sector to develop common sense policies that strengthen U.S. energy leadership.
He was joined by Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and HEAT Vice Chairman U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas).
The roundtable took place just days after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Within hours of being sworn in, Trump signed several executive orders to ease regulatory burdens on energy production and promote American energy exports. HEAT, alongside RSC, will be key partners to Trump in his effort to enact pro-energy policies.
Ohio's 12th Congressional District encompasses portions of the Utica and Marcellus Shale formations in the Appalachian Basin—the largest natural gas-producing region in the U.S. Natural gas from Ohio, and other parts of the the nation, have been key in reducing emissions while making energy more affordable and reliable. During the Biden-Harris administration, misguided policies targeted energy producers and restricted the exportation of American natural gas to allies overseas.
“America’s energy demand is at an all-time high,” said Balderson. “We have the capacity to fuel the AI boom happening in Central Ohio and across the country while still providing critical energy supplies to our allies in Europe and across the globe. The past four years have shown how poor policymaking can undermine our energy security. When our domestic energy sector faces uncertainty and hostility from Washington, our adversaries abroad benefit while American consumers pay the price. Now that President Trump is back in office, Republicans have the incredible opportunity to lead on energy policy and get our country back on track.”
